


Ease My Mind

by ChibiYoda



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Author chooses to ignore the existence of Endgame at this time, Bruce is insecure, Definitely not Endgame compliant, Does this threesome have a name?, Iron Strange, M/M, Mystic Science, Not Infinity War compliant, Science Boyfriends, Science Bros, Stephen is wondering what he got himself into, Tony gives relationship advice, let's try those, strange science
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:54:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24443197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChibiYoda/pseuds/ChibiYoda
Summary: The road from couple to thruple is bumpy and often includes an international flight.
Relationships: Bruce Banner/Stephen Strange, Bruce Banner/Tony Stark, Bruce Banner/Tony Stark/Stephen Strange, Tony Stark/Stephen Strange
Comments: 12
Kudos: 63





	Ease My Mind

The clock was inching its way closer to midnight, but Tony and Stephen's conversation was nowhere near finished and would likely continue, off and on, for some time to come. 

"I don't know if I'm getting anywhere with him," Stephen explained. "He doesn't trust me."

"He does. To an extent." Tony wasn't going to sugar-coat anything. That wouldn't be beneficial to anyone.

"Look at how we're positioned." Stephen's arm swept in front of them. "I'm on this side, you're in the middle, and Bruce will be on the other side. He uses you as a buffer at every opportunity."

"I understand how you feel. I do. But this situation, the three of us, it's still brand new. Bruce is gonna need a little time. He and I have been together for a while now. Naturally, he's more comfortable with me."

Stephen shook his head gloomily. "Maybe he's having second thoughts. Maybe he finds he doesn't want this as he thought he might."

"He does. He does want this," Tony stressed, then added, "You wouldn't be here if he didn't."

Stephen raised an eyebrow at the statement, but Tony stood his ground. "I know that sounds harsh, but you have to understand. I would never put Bruce in a situation where I thought he might get hurt. Or let him put himself in one, for that matter."

"That's commendable." Stephen pinched the bridge of his nose. (which Tony thinks is awfully cute, and very reminiscent of one of Bruce's habits) "I'm merely frustrated because I feel that I'm beginning to lose what little ground I've made with him. I'm at a loss as to what to do. I cannot seem to find a way to relate to him. I see how differently he acts with you. How engaged he is when the two of you are at work on a project. He loves science, not the mystic arts. They are polar opposites."

"Bruce is interested in a lot of things. And yes, he has hinted at a curiosity about your sorcery stuff." Tony explained, "It took forever for Bruce to get completely comfortable with me. I promise it won't take as long with you. I've already done all the leg work, and laid the foundation to make it a little easier for Bruce to open up to people in his inner-circle. Just give it more time. That shouldn't be hard for you." Tony winked, "Aren't you the keeper of it, or something like that?" 

The two were so wrapped up in their talk that they didn't realize Bruce had appeared in the doorway of their bedroom, until he cleared his throat.

Tony quickly greeted him. "Hey Bruce! You finally tore yourself away from your work."

"Yeah. For now." Instead of joining them, Bruce remained where he was.

Tony could sense something was up. "Are you coming in? This is your room too, you know." 

"Well, um, I wanted to run something past you. Both."

Stephen stayed silent, and Tony nodded.

Bruce wrung his hands gently. "I was thinking of going back to India. For a visit. Probably next week."

The hairs on the back of Tony's neck raised at the mention of India. Was he wrong in his interpretation of how things were progressing since they decided to expand their relationship to include Stephen? Had he misjudged Bruce's interest in the wizard so badly that Bruce was going to retreat to the ends of the earth again? In the seconds since Bruce's announcement invaded his brain, Tony began to panic. A myriad of rebuttals to counter whatever Bruce might say streamed through his mind.

What Tony had not considered at all was what Bruce actually said next.

"I was wondering if, maybe, Stephen would like to go with me."

Those hairs settled, and a small smile formed on Tony's face.

Stephen, on the other hand, was thoroughly taken aback. The request was so completely out of the blue that it caused him to respond impulsively. "Well, yes. Of course. I'd be happy to accompany you, if you wish." He glanced at Tony, hoping for some sort of confirmation that he was saying the right thing. When Tony's smile broadened, Stephen continued, "I'm sure I can make adequate arrangements with Wong regarding the Sanctum. He will most likely be thankful for the vacation from me."

The combination of Stephen's agreement to Bruce's proposal plus his attempt at levity sent a visible wash of relief over Bruce. "Ok. Good."

Bruce was still standing in the doorway, which prompted Tony to inquire, "Great! Now that that's settled, were you going to join us?"

"Well, I was gonna make some tea first. Would either of you like anything?"

"Nah, I'm good." Tony looked at Stephen, "How about you?"

"No, thank you."

Bruce smiled sweetly, then left for the kitchen.

While Stephen was still puzzled by this turn of events, Tony was absolutely thrilled by it.

"This is fantastic!"

Stephen definitely required some clarification. "How so?"

"He did this with me in the beginning!"

Stephen supposed this was why Bruce didn't invite Tony. "You two took a trip to India?"

"It wasn't just a trip," Tony explained. "That place played a big role in Bruce's life before I met him. A lot of what he experienced there helped shape the man we see now. It's a meaningful place to him. And he wants to show it to you!"

Stephen couldn't imagine how visiting India could advance their relationship, but he took Tony's word that this was a good sign.

"I was scared there for a minute," Tony admitted. "Bruce has gone back on his own a couple of times over the past few years, to do his penance. But the timing of this pilgrimage had me worried, until he mentioned you."

"Penance?" Stephen asked.

"Yeah. Bruce feels he needs to atone for his sins." 

Stephen's face contorted. "That's ridiculous. Bruce is the least sinful of us all."

"I've tried telling him that, but he's never going to fully accept that he's paid his dues for the things he believes he's done wrong."

With a nasally sigh Stephen shook his head tersely in a show of displeasure.

"By the way, Bruce likes to blend into his surroundings, so I think Cloak is gonna have to sit this one out." Tony motioned to the Cloak of Levitation, which had been hovering by the window the entire time. "And it's getting late. Time for you to go haunt the halls, or whatever you do at night."

One of Levi's collar points turned upward as the garment drifted out of the room. Tony had the distinct impression that he'd been flipped off.

"You know, you can retire if you like," he (sort of) teased as Levi passed. "I could easily build Stephen a suit that would protect him better than you. Probably."

*

*

*

The flight to Kolkata was awkward for the two men. It was the first time since Bruce had unceremoniously crashed through the Sanctum's roof that they had really been alone together for any length of time. Mercifully, Tony's private jet provided them much more space than what the classiest of any First Class accommodations could offer. Stephen could have simply opened up a portal and avoided the need to fly, but there weren't any hotels where they were going. If Bruce had been alone he probably wouldn't have had too much trouble finding temporary lodging, but he would never dream of imposing himself plus a guest on the locals. Besides, Levi of course had refused to stay behind, so they needed a place for it to stay while the men were out in public.

At the beginning of the flight Bruce and Stephen sat across from each other, a small table between them. Bruce busied himself on his laptop, while Stephen kept his nose in a book. They remained like that for nearly two hours, each occasionally chancing a glance at the other.

Bruce was not one to stay still for very long when in an uncomfortable situation. When the itch to move finally became too distracting, he gave in and closed the laptop. He fully intended to get up and use the bathroom as an excuse to give himself both a physical and mental break, but then Stephen put down his book. 

"All finished?"

"Oh, um, yeah. Sorr...sorry," Bruce stammered. "I didn't mean to ignore you or anything. I just get caught up in my work and I lose track of time."

"It's alright. I did not feel that I was being ignored." Stephen began to wonder what exactly he was doing here. This wasn't going to work. Stark should have come along. It was too soon to leave him and Bruce alone like this. What if the result of this experiment yielded more harm than good?

As doubt streamed through the sorcerer, he noticed something unexpected in Bruce's face which disrupted his train of thought. He saw hope in those kind eyes. And the tension that had been building in Stephen's face began to dissolve. Maybe this wasn't so bad after all. He dared a suggestion. "Why don't we move over to the couch. It would be nice to stretch out a bit."

That sounded good to Bruce so he followed Stephen, who seated himself at one end. Bruce then planted himself at the other end. He draped an arm along the narrow sill behind, and bent a leg up to partially rest on the cushion. Stephen angled his body in Bruce's general direction, crossing his long legs at the ankles.

The third passenger, Levi, had settled in an out of the way niche across from the couch when they first boarded, and had remained motionless since. Bruce had nearly forgotten that the garment was with them until they switched seats. He nodded toward the relic.

"Is it ok?"

Stephen eyed Levi. "It would most certainly let me know if it was not."

"Heck of a thing, having a protector like that." Bruce struggled with small talk, but he made the effort nonetheless.

"I had no say in the matter. The Cloak chose me." Stephen meant nothing by the offhanded comment. He didn't realize that a curt response could be misinterpreted as disinterest, until he saw a change in Bruce's demeanor. The shy scientist seemed to deflate. He quickly attempted to re-engage Bruce. "You have a valuable protector as well." Should he have brought up Hulk? Too late now.

Bruce huffed through a half-smile. "I definitely didn't see it that way. At all. For years. And then Tony said the same thing the day we met. I scoffed at the idea at the time. But it got me to thinking."

"Tony can be quite wise at times." Then Stephen quickly added, "Don't tell him I said that. I'll have no peace."

That generated a hearty laugh from Bruce. "Very true."

So far, so good, Stephen thought. "So, before you became a superhero, how did you pass the time?"

"Spent a lot of it in school, worked some odd jobs during it. Some TA and internships, too. Spent as much time in labs as possible."

"So...same as you spend your time now."

Bruce chuckled, "Yeah. But it's where I'm most comfortable, and where I can do the most good. It's what I enjoy."

Stephen smiled, "Then that's where you should be."

"What about you?" Bruce was genuinely interested. "Did you enjoy working in the hospital?"

"I enjoyed being a surgeon. I enjoyed the money and the status." Stephen looked away, "I was kind of a jerk."

Sensing that it was a difficult assessment to admit, Bruce added, "And now you're a better man."

"Some might beg to differ."

Bruce shook his head. "Doesn't matter if they do. Tony and I know the truth. And plenty of others do, too."

When Stephen lay his head down to sleep a while later, he wondered how Bruce could have come to such a conclusion, when he didn't believe it himself.

*

*

*

The men were up relatively early the next morning. Neither had gotten a very restful sleep. The bed on the jet, while not nearly as spacious as the one in the tower, was still roomy enough to allow Bruce the personal space he needed. As Stephen expected, Bruce had made himself as small as possible, leaving as much space between himself and the sorcerer as he could. Stephen spent the better part of the night watching Bruce's eyelids flutter and muscles twitch as he dreamed, all the while contemplating the probability of such a gentle soul ever being tolerant of someone so impudent.

After quick showers, they were soon ready to venture out. Levi was left in charge of the jet, as the pilots had taken transportation to the city proper, where they would be staying until the return trip.

There was a market not terribly far from the airstrip. "I know a little place that has wonderful tea and fresh baked goods," Bruce offered.

Stephen nodded, "That sounds fine."

The walk was uneventful, and rather pleasant for both. Along the way, Bruce pointed out a couple of otherwise unassuming landmarks for which he had, what he hoped were, interesting stories. 

There was one object that Stephen was particularly intrigued with, which Bruce had not elaborated on. Bruce had brought with him a rather shabby duffel bag. Where it wouldn't have been completely out of place for Tony to carry a fashionable bag or case from time to time, Stephen had never seen Bruce with a bag. 

His curiosity was alleviated a little while later, as they sat sipping tea and eating still-warm bread with honey butter. The market was small but bustling. There were no eat-in establishments, so the pair made themselves comfortable at one of the modest metal tables with plastic chairs that were set up beneath a group of shading trees across from the market area. 

They were not halfway finished with their light breakfast when an older gentleman, who Stephen thought might be the owner of the stall they'd just patronized, approached Bruce. He held out his left arm, explaining that he'd just burned it on a pot. It didn't appear to be serious from Stephen's vantage point. After inspecting the skin, Bruce opened his duffel, rummaged around for a moment, then pulled out a tube of ointment and a few gauze pads and gave them to the man.

"Apply this two or three times today. If there is no improvement by tomorrow morning then please go to the clinic."

The man thanked Bruce profusely, and apologized for disturbing him and his friend.

Bruce just smiled and waved a hand, assuring him that it had been no trouble whatsoever.

Stephen had watched the exchange with a fair amount of surprise and confusion.

"What just happened?" he asked plainly.

While Bruce wasn't uncomfortable being approached for assistance, he wasn't accustomed to having an audience for it.

"Some of these people remember me from back when I lived here. They know they can come to me for help."

"But carrying a bag of medical supplies? Treating wounds? I'm not sure I understand."

Bruce absently tossed a crust of his bread to a bird that had hopped toward their table. "Well, I've had some medical training. And while I was never a practicing M.D., I've been able to use my knowledge to help people in need."

Stephen huffed. "When Stark had told me you were his personal physician, I assumed it was some sort of doctor/patient role playing kink."

Bruce snorted while turning various shades of red, leading Stephen to believe that there might indeed be some truth to that assumption. Then he remembered another thing that had caught his attention during Bruce's exchange with the injured man. 

"You mentioned a clinic to the gentleman."

Bruce's eyes lit up. "Actually, that's where we're heading next."

They cleared the table of their cups and napkins. and set out on foot once again.

After about ten minutes of weaving in and out of people, the market area came to an end and an unassuming building set back a little way from the street came into view. Even without the row of solar panels nestled off to the left, Stephen could tell that it was a relatively new structure. He noted the name on the entrance.

"HI Clinic?"

Bruce chuckled, "Yeah, we had a hard time coming up with a name for it."

"We?"

"Me and Tony. See, when I decided to stay in New York after the whole Loki ordeal, Tony gave me a place to live and immediately put me on SI's payroll. Naturally he was overly generous with my salary. When I came up with the idea of putting the money to use in building a clinic here, Tony was eager to help. We designed it together, then traveled here to find a suitable location. He oversaw the construction process while I focused on compiling the equipment, supplies and staffing that the facility would need. Once it was completed, we squabbled over a name. He thought I should name it after myself, but I'm far too uncomfortable having my name on anything. Since he essentially funded the project, I wanted to name it after him. But he said there were already too many things with his name on them. So we came up with a combination, of sorts. HI - Hulk and Iron Man. It sounded very friendly, too, so that was a plus."

Stephen couldn't argue with that logic. He also couldn't argue with the look on Bruce's face. Bruce positively beamed with pride at his and Tony's creation. Stephen was happy for him.

They went in, and Bruce lead Stephen around, showing off his baby. It took them a bit longer than anticipated to get through the building, but not because of its size. It was a modest facility, especially when compared to the places that Stephen had practiced medicine in. No, the reason for the extended length of time was because nearly every person they came in contact with, be they staff or patient, bombarded Bruce with welcomes and handshakes and hugs. The attention tested Bruce. He would stiffen slightly, or reflexively flinch with each encounter, but he did his best to show that he appreciated their warm reception.

It seemed as though the pair had chosen a busy day to visit. As soon as they had finished looking around, Bruce noticed that the waiting area was full. 

"I'm just gonna see if I can help out here for a few minutes. Maybe give them a hand until the clientele thins out." Bruce added, "If...that's...ok with you."

Stephen nodded. "Of course." This wasn't his life anymore, and he'd never imagined that it was Bruce's in any way. He wanted to observe. He was more than interested to see how the next moments would play out. 

The minutes turned into hours, while Stephen's curiosity evolved into awe. He watched as Bruce tended to patients. The cases were mostly mundane afflictions such as sore throats and sprains, with some vaccines for children sprinkled in. It certainly wasn't the types of ailments Bruce was treating that held the sorcerer's attention. It was the way they were being handled. He was nothing short of amazed at the person he thought he knew. He watched this socially awkward man interacting with people with a comfort that Stephen only ever saw when Bruce was tinkering with Tony in their workspaces. Bruce was able to lose himself in his work, and temporarily forget the many, many reservations he had about, well, every aspect of his life.

And the way these people looked at Bruce...

*

*

*

Back on board the jet later that evening, Bruce and Stephen made themselves comfortable on the couch. The buffer zone still between them. 

"I hope today wasn't too boring for you." They hadn't talked about any specifics of the day during dinner, so Bruce was nearly certain that Stephen wasn't having a very good time on this trip. "I know my little clinic is far different from the cutting-edge facility that you worked in."

"On the contrary. I was fascinated." 

Bruce had not expected that response. "I'm sure it wasn't quite as interesting as what you experienced when you were practicing."

"Bruce, the way you handled yourself today mesmerized me."

Bruce shifted in his seat awkwardly. He couldn't bring himself to meet Stephen's eyes. "Oh, come on, you don't have to be that charitable."

Stephen began to get annoyed that Bruce was disagreeing with him on something that the former believed to be a completely accurate appraisal, based on his observations of the day. But then he remembered who he was talking with. This was Bruce. Someone who tended to think the worst of himself. Someone eager to please, but wouldn't give himself the credit when he did.

Had Bruce been trying to please him?

Stephen did his best to mimic the tone and texture of the voice he'd heard Tony use when he suspects that Bruce needs a boost in confidence.

"The size of the clinic is irrelevant. The types of maladies you dealt with are unimportant. You achieved something with those patients that I never have. You made them feel welcome. You put them at ease. They trusted you. Completely."

Bruce was perplexed. "But you have degrees from prestigious universities. You performed delicate, complex surgeries. You must have put your patients at ease enough for them to allow you to do so. I'm sure they trusted you."

"They had no idea who I was. If they did, they wouldn't have liked me. They trusted the diplomas. They trusted my track record, and the persona of the confident doctor. It had nothing to do with me." Stephen smiled, "Your patients had no history of you to put their faith in. All they had was you, at face value. That's something very special, Bruce." 

Stephen saw a spark in Bruce's eyes that had never been directed at him before.

During the night, Bruce is just close enough to brush Stephen's arm when he turns over in his sleep.

*

*

*

Bruce and Stephen had arrived home a couple of hours prior. After a light dinner with Tony, the three were going to unwind with a movie. Bruce was in the kitchen gathering beverages and snacks, while the other two took the opportunity to talk in the living room. 

Tony shook his head slowly, for dramatic effect. "So you were worried that he couldn't accept the magic stuff, and he was worried that he wasn't impressing you enough with the science stuff, so he had to try the medical stuff. What a couple of blockheads." 

Stephen pursed his lips. "Thank you for such a touching term of endearment." He then took a seat at one end of the couch.

Tony was searching the room for the remote. "So, are we good now?" 

Before Stephen could answer, Bruce arrived with a tray and set it on the coffee table. Tony turned around in time to witness Bruce then casually sit down next to a clearly pleased Stephen.

Question answered.


End file.
